[ RadSafe ] In utero dose

[Ivor Surveyor]

>At 12:26 AM 19/04/2006, you wrote:
Floyd W. Flanigan  wrote:

>>"I realize this. But taking the conservative approach is always
>>advisable. Hence ALARA. The lack of set limits is an issue which should
>>be addressed. We cannot continue to let the medical world self-police.
>>They have proven time and time again that they are prone to leaning to
>>one extreme or the other. The limit should mirror occupational dose
>>except, of course in the case of limits hindering treatment. All of this
>>falls into the principals of ALARA in one way or another."
>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>..



I have to disagree each and every situation requiring diagnostic 
radiation is different and has to be treated on merit.  The 
complexity of medical and urgency of a medical situation is such as 
to preclude the interpretation of rules and regulations.   Please 
remember that medical specialists approach the problem after years of 
training, experience.  As a mark of this, all specialists have 
significant post graduate qualifications.

The important principle is the welfare of both mother and baby.  A 
mother denied appropriate orthopedic or for that matter any other 
surgery say which may include fluoroscopy could well be a tragedy.

A potential mother that is incapacitated because of inadequate 
treatment due to fear or excessive radiation could have very serious 
consequences.   Not just to the mother, but also to her family and 
above all the future rearing of the child.

The amount of radiation administered or required to be administered 
can have no relationship to occupational doses.   Medical physics 
advice is invaluable to ensure staff are appropriately protected, as 
well as those parts of the patient that are not in the operating 
field.  Further physics staff should have duties to ensure radiation 
and imaging equipment function optimally.  Please do regulate medical 
decision making and treatment of individual patients by further legal 
restrictions.   By the way nobody suggests doctors function outside 
of the law.  In West Australia doctors that use radiation in their 
practice are specially licensed by the Radiological Council of WA.

Ivory Surveyor, MD (Brit), FRANC, FCC
Emeritus Consultant Physician, Nuclear Medicine,

[isurveyor at vianet.net.au]